Nature Study

You know the boys and I have always done "nature study" in some form, but I really wanted to start actual notebooks just for this part of our schooling. So I did a little research online and read several blogs about nature study and how people got started. So being the planner I am, I put it on the calendar and we ventured out Wednesday (we were having kind of an "out of sorts" day, so it was a good thing to just get up and get out of the house). We went out to the backyard where there of course was an abundance of cool stuff to see.

Those little green silk spinning web worms are in ample grossness in the back yard so we of course had to check them out with the magnifying glass!








These little creepy creatures even have webs on the ground!

Bug's Nature Journal

When we finally came back inside the boys drew pictures and wrote in their nature study journals. I enjoyed seeing all the various things that they remembered and what they thought was important to put in their journal.

Even the lightening from a past storm got in the picture. One of the trees down by the creek was struck by lightening a few years back. The side of the tree is still charred and black. I think the tree is actually long since dead, but Bug noticed it anew (probably from the recent fire/storm activity around here) and thought to put it in.

Red did his drawings and writing on two pages. It was interesting to see what peaked his senses.

A vine that ran up the side of a tree down at the creek was of great curiosity to him.

Of course the silk worm got in there! LOL

And the boadark apples we found down by the fence. Although his is red instead of green.



I think the boys really enjoyed the nature study time, I plan to incorporate it more often!

We read a book about a young man that got new shoes. It included a little folklore about how people would hide their kids shoes in the walls. It was supposed to keep the bad spirits away. It was interesting and the boys were amazed that the child in the story kept his same shoes for over a year and then they were passed down through four more boys. Can you imagine?

We decided to do a little collage with the boys feet. So we traced around them and then they decorated them. You can see who the artist is in the family. Red went for the stickers, but Bug decided that buttons galore would fit his style better! ;)

This year in Royal Ambassadors (RA's) Bug is working on his Lad 2 book. Red is working in the Lad 1 book (it's a little ahead of him, but he's doing well).

We just started and are currently working on the character trait of Loyalty.

Oh my helping Bug - what a great kid! I was cleaning the kitchen and he came in and asked me how he could help - I love that kid! So I sent him with the stool out to the clothesline. He unpinned all the jeans and brought them in for me. What a great kid!

I know I have mentioned the I can read 100 books program we are doing this year. Here you can see an update of Red's chain - he is so excited to be "beating" his brother (for now anyway). LOL















When we went to the library last week Ms. Allison told Bug there was a free shirt in the basket by the check-out desk. Well wouldn't you know it was a I read 100 books shirt! LOL

He was excited - although he did remind me that he read over 800 books this summer.

Well that's my update for now, I had better get off hear and get something done! LOL

Until next time, love you kids and smile a lot!